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Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03: plans, lot sizes and apartment yield

A competition winning courtyard building of 58 to 140 apartments by Andrew Burges Architects, combining corner apartments with terrace like rows around a garden courtyard.

Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 is a mid rise apartment design in the NSW Housing Pattern Book. Sydney practice Andrew Burges Architects won the design competition for it, and Government Architect NSW approved it for the book in November 2025.

Ground floor apartments open straight onto the primary streets while services and driveways come off the secondary street. Upper apartments are reached from wide walkways that look over a central landscaped courtyard, and every apartment has at least two orientations for daylight and cross ventilation. Two storey apartments split living and sleeping across levels around a linear service spine the architects call the compactus.

The published range is 58 to 140 apartments across 4 to 6 storeys, from studios to 4 bedroom homes, on lots from 3,551 to 6,566 square metres. Use the seven official lot conditions and the complete plan sequence below to compare configurations, then check an address before relying on a pattern fit.

At a glance

Large Lot Apartments 03 key facts
Designed byAndrew Burges Architects
Building typeResidential flat building
Homes58 to 140 apartments
Storeys4 to 6 habitable storeys
BedroomsStudio up to 4 bedroom options
Site typeMid block, end block, half block and whole block sites
Minimum lot67 m wide × 53 m deep (3,551 m²)
Published lot range3,551 to 6,566 m², 67 to 127.5 m wide
Drawn lot conditions67 to 134 m wide and 53 to 63 m deep
Maximum height22 m from existing ground level
SlopeUp to 0.5 m of fall in one direction and 2 m in the other
Gross floor area5,803 to 14,162 m²
Net efficiency93 to 94 per cent net saleable area to gross floor area
Floor space ratio1.621:1 to 2.1:1
Parking30 to 120 spaces, basement or on grade
LicenceLicence from $25,000 per lot
ApprovalDevelopment application with reduced assessment

Will it fit my block?

The development standards set the floor: a lot at least 67 metres wide and 3,551 square metres, with the width measured at the front of the building line. The official key metrics widen that to lots between 67 and 127.5 metres wide and 3,551 and 6,566 square metres.

The seven cards below are the complete set of lot conditions on the official applicable lot sizes sheet. They keep the sheet's own boundary, its width and depth dimensions and its setback figures: 3.5 metres to the front and rear streets, 1.5 metres to a tertiary street or boundary, and 9 metres for the through site link on one side.

The building grows by adding terrace modules on a 5.3 metre grid, so the same pattern serves lots from 67 to 99 metres wide. Past 99 metres the pattern doubles into two buildings with a 12 or 18 metre through site link between them. The units per core grouping noted on each card is a per core figure, not a building total.

Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 official lot size plan for a 128 to 134 by 53 metre site, showing two complete buildings either side of a 12 or 18 metre through site link, each with four corner apartments, terrace rows and a central courtyard; the published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments
Condition 7: a 128 to 134 by 53 metre lot carrying two buildings. Site area: 6,784 m² at 128 metres wide, rising to 7,102 m² at 134 metres. The sheet notes 5 units per core grouping and a 12 or 18 metre through site link between the buildings. The published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 official lot size plan for a 99 by 53 metre site of 5,247 square metres, showing the site boundary, the 3.5 metre street setbacks, the 1.5 metre tertiary boundary setback, the 9 metre through site link, the four corner apartments, the terrace rows and the central courtyard; the published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments
Condition 4: a 99 by 53 metre lot. Site area: 5,247 m². The sheet notes 8 units per core grouping. The widest single building condition on the sheet. The published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments, set by the lot size, the storey count, the parking option and the apartment mix. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 official lot size plan for a 88 by 53 metre site of 4,664 square metres, showing the site boundary, the 3.5 metre street setbacks, the 1.5 metre tertiary boundary setback, the 9 metre through site link, the four corner apartments, the terrace rows and the central courtyard; the published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments
Condition 3: a 88 by 53 metre lot. Site area: 4,664 m². The sheet notes 6 to 8 units per core grouping. Longer terrace rows with a second stair on each side. The published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments, set by the lot size, the storey count, the parking option and the apartment mix. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 official lot size plan for a 77 by 53 metre site of 4,081 square metres, showing the site boundary, the 3.5 metre street setbacks, the 1.5 metre tertiary boundary setback, the 9 metre through site link, the four corner apartments, the terrace rows and the central courtyard; the published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments
Condition 2: a 77 by 53 metre lot. Site area: 4,081 m². The sheet notes 6 units per core grouping. One apartment module added to each terrace row. The published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments, set by the lot size, the storey count, the parking option and the apartment mix. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 official lot size plan for a 77 by 63 metre site of 4,851 square metres, showing the site boundary, the 3.5 metre street setbacks, the 1.5 metre tertiary boundary setback, the 9 metre through site link, the four corner apartments, the terrace rows and the central courtyard; the published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments
Condition 6: a 77 by 63 metre lot. Site area: 4,851 m². The sheet notes 7 units per core grouping. The sheet marks this one for 400 to 800 metre TOD zone sites only. The published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments, set by the lot size, the storey count, the parking option and the apartment mix. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 official lot size plan for a 67 by 53 metre site of 3,551 square metres, showing the site boundary, the 3.5 metre street setbacks, the 1.5 metre tertiary boundary setback, the 9 metre through site link, the four corner apartments, the terrace rows and the central courtyard; the published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments
Base pattern: a 67 by 53 metre lot. Site area: 3,551 m². The sheet notes 6 units per core grouping. This is the minimum lot size in the development standards. The published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments, set by the lot size, the storey count, the parking option and the apartment mix. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 official lot size plan for a 67 by 63 metre site of 4,221 square metres, showing the site boundary, the 3.5 metre street setbacks, the 1.5 metre tertiary boundary setback, the 9 metre through site link, the four corner apartments, the terrace rows and the central courtyard; the published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments
Condition 5: a 67 by 63 metre lot. Site area: 4,221 m². The sheet notes 6 units per core grouping. A deeper lot with a larger courtyard. The published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments, set by the lot size, the storey count, the parking option and the apartment mix. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).

Check your address

Type your address to load your actual block from the NSW cadastre, including its boundaries, zoning and planning layers. Dudils screens lot size and orientation to identify patterns that could work. It does not complete a planning eligibility assessment: it does not confirm contours, hazards, easements, sewer, waste vehicle access or street frontage requirements. Check a current survey, title information and State and council mapping before committing to the land or the licence.

Check your address

We’ll load your NSW lot, ready to screen against the Pattern Book.

Where you can build it

The mid rise patterns only apply in the areas the NSW Government has opened up for more homes: low and mid rise housing areas under section 163 of the Housing SEPP, and transport oriented development areas under Chapter 5 of the same policy, where a residential flat building is permitted with consent in the zone. You can look these areas up on the NSW Planning Portal map, or type your address above and the lot finder checks them for you.

The pattern is designed for mid block, end block, half block and whole block sites, and the siting sheet also shows island, double block, corner and multiblock arrangements. On a mid block site the through site link has to be secured through an approved masterplan so access carries through to the adjoining property.

One detail is easy to miss: the pattern's own drawings tie the storey count to the transport oriented development band, showing 6 storeys within 400 metres of a station and 5 storeys from 400 to 800 metres, and one lot condition is marked for 400 to 800 metre sites only. Where the pattern applies, its development standards prevail over inconsistent local controls, so the lot size, height and setback numbers on this page hold even where a council plan says otherwise.

Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 urban arrangements sheet showing island block, mid block, corner and mid block, double block and multiblock developments set into an existing suburb, with the 9 metre through site link, the 12 and 18 metre wide links and the relationship to existing development and light industrial land
The pattern set into a real block structure, from a single mid block site up to a multiblock development. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).

Plans for the base building

The base pattern is a square doughnut: four single storey corner apartments hold the corners, terrace like rows of one and two storey apartments run between them, and a landscaped courtyard sits in the middle. Four cores serve the building, each reached from a wide access balcony that overlooks the courtyard.

The complete level sequence below runs from the basement to the roof and includes both ground floor options and both fourth floor schemes. The apartment mix sheet counts 18 apartments on the ground floor, 4 on level 1, 20 on level 2, 4 on level 3 and 12 on level 4, which is 58 apartments in the base pattern. The 6 storey scheme replaces the level 4 communal floor with a full residential floor and adds level 5.

The base pattern measures 5,803 m² of gross floor area, 5,439 m² of net saleable area and 16,362 m² of gross external area, with 977.35 m² of communal open space, 432.25 m² of deep soil and 686.79 m² of tree canopy. Basement geometry and parking capacity remain subject to detailed structural, traffic, services and fire engineering.

Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 concept design page showing the base pattern module, the corner, terrace and core components, block hierarchy, organic courtyard landscape, terrace rhythm, circulation neighbourhoods, double height circulation, street entries, dual orientation, the compactus service core and bedroom outlook
Concept design: the corner, terrace and core components, the circulation neighbourhoods and the compactus service core. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 axonometric view of the complete building showing the primary and secondary frontages, the through site link, condenser and hot water plant, lift overruns, rooftop solar panels, communal open space, brick service risers, the communal courtyard, the vertical arbor, apartment entries and the underground parking entry
Axonometric view of the complete building, with the two primary frontages, the through site link, rooftop plant and solar panels. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 cutaway axonometric showing the communal courtyard, condenser and hot water plant, solar panels, service risers, communal open space, the fire stair, a two bedroom terrace apartment and a one bedroom apartment
Cutaway axonometric through the communal courtyard, showing the terrace and corner apartment types either side. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 basement plan showing the full car park extent, the ramp, deep soil zones, bike parking, storage cages, motorbike parking, lifts, fire pump and tank rooms, water tanks and sewer pumps, with a basement summary of 57 car spaces
Basement plan with 57 car spaces, 6 accessible spaces, 6 electric vehicle spaces, 9 motorbike spaces, 48 bike spaces and 29 storage cages. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 ground floor plan for the basement parking option, showing 18 complete apartments made up of 2 three bedroom and 2 four bedroom corner apartments, 2 one bedroom apartments and 12 two bedroom terrace apartments, plus the ground level communal courtyard, deep soil, landscaped area, waste and bulky waste rooms, lifts and the through site link
Ground floor with basement parking: 18 apartments around a ground level courtyard with 126.87 m² of deep soil and 425.12 m² of communal open space. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 ground floor plan for the on grade parking option, showing 12 studio apartments and 2 three bedroom corner apartments, 15 car spaces with electric vehicle charging, a turning bay, waste and bulky waste rooms, storage cages, fire tank and pump rooms and the through site link, with the common courtyard moved up to level 1
Ground floor with on grade parking: 15 car spaces, 13 electric vehicle spaces and studio apartments to the street, with the courtyard lifted to level 1. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 first floor plan for the basement parking variant, showing 4 new three bedroom corner apartments together with the upper levels of the ground floor two bedroom terrace apartments and four bedroom apartments, the access balconies, lifts and planters
First floor: 4 new three bedroom corner apartments over the upper levels of the ground floor terrace apartments. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 second floor plan showing 20 apartments made up of 4 three bedroom corner apartments, 2 four bedroom apartments, 2 one bedroom apartments and 12 two bedroom terrace apartments, with the access balconies, lifts, stairs and the open courtyard below
Second floor: 20 apartments, the largest single floor plate in the base pattern. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 third floor plan showing 4 new three bedroom corner apartments together with the upper levels of the second floor two bedroom terrace apartments and four bedroom apartments, with the access balconies, lifts and stairs
Third floor: 4 new three bedroom corner apartments over the upper levels of the second floor terrace apartments. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 fourth floor plan for the 5 storey scheme showing 12 apartments made up of 4 three bedroom corner apartments and 8 one bedroom apartments, with two communal open space areas facing the courtyard void
Fourth floor, 5 storey scheme: 12 apartments plus two communal open space areas. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 fourth floor plan for the 6 storey scheme showing a full residential floor of 4 three bedroom corner apartments, 8 one bedroom apartments and 8 two bedroom terrace apartments around the courtyard void
Fourth floor, 6 storey scheme: a full residential floor in place of the communal level. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 fifth floor plan for the 6 storey scheme showing 4 three bedroom corner apartments, the upper levels of the fourth floor two bedroom terrace apartments and two communal open space areas facing the courtyard void
Fifth floor, 6 storey scheme: corner apartments, terrace upper levels and two communal open space areas. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 roof plan showing photovoltaic panel arrays, condenser plant, hot water plant, satellite dishes, lift overruns, basement exhaust louvres, the open courtyard void and the boundary setbacks
Roof plan with photovoltaic arrays, condenser and hot water plant, lift overruns and the open courtyard void. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).

Apartment sizes and mix

These are the internal areas from the official apartment type sheets, with ceilings of at least 2.7 metres in habitable rooms. Every apartment has a balcony, and every apartment has at least two orientations, which is how the pattern reaches 100 per cent cross ventilation.

The mix changes with the parking option. Studios only appear in the on grade parking scheme, where they take the ground floor street frontage that the two bedroom terraces occupy in the basement scheme.

Apartment sizes and mix
Studio48.9 to 49.7 m² internal, 8.1 m² balcony, on grade parking scheme only
1 bedroom48.9 to 49.7 m² internal, 7.9 m² balcony
2 bedroom94.3 to 96.0 m² internal, 11.3 to 12.1 m² balcony
3 bedroom104.5 to 118.0 m² internal, 11.4 to 25.3 m² balcony
4 bedroom143.7 m² internal, 15.1 to 15.5 m² balcony
Base pattern mix12 one bedroom (21 per cent), 24 two bedroom (41 per cent), 18 three bedroom (31 per cent) and 4 four bedroom (7 per cent), 58 in total
Ceilings2.7 m in habitable rooms, 2.4 m elsewhere
Cross ventilation100 per cent of apartments
Livable housingRated beyond minimum against the ABCB Livable Housing Design Standard; the three bedroom corner types can also be adapted to AS 4299 for adaptable housing
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 apartment mix sheet showing the ground floor and levels 1 to 4 coloured by apartment type, with a table counting 0 studios, 12 one bedroom, 24 two bedroom, 18 three bedroom and 4 four bedroom apartments, 58 in total
The apartment mix level by level. The base pattern totals 58 apartments: 12 one bedroom, 24 two bedroom, 18 three bedroom and 4 four bedroom. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).

How the design adapts

The pattern is a kit with strict rules rather than a single fixed building. What you can change: the lot size across the seven official conditions, the storey count from 4 to 6, the parking option, the character scheme and its colour way, optional solar panels and awnings, and whether the plan is mirrored to suit the slope.

What stays fixed: the central courtyard, the ground floor activation of the primary street, the terrace and corner apartment arrangement, the stacked wet areas and stairs in the compactus, and the 9 metre wide through site link that carries services and waste collection. Every change, flexible ones included, has to be declared in the design verification statement that goes with the development application.

Slope is the tightest limit here. The pattern's own sheets record a maximum 500 millimetre north to south gradient and a maximum 2,000 millimetre east to west gradient, and the selections page describes that as 0.5 metres of upslope and 2 metres of downslope. Dudils screens slope from the national elevation model, which is indicative and not a survey, so measure the fall across your site from a current survey before assuming a fit.

Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 design features page marking the fixed and flexible parts of the pattern, including solar panels, facade finish, the central courtyard, the general arrangement, parking, lot size range, the compactus wet areas and stair, the rhythmic block hierarchy, AS 4299 adaptation and the 9 metre through site link
Fixed and flexible features. Fixed features must be retained and every change, even a flexible one, is declared in the design verification statement. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 siting sheet showing the base pattern, island development, double block development, corner development and multiblock development arrangements, each with the 9 metre through site link, the terrace apartment type and the corner apartment type
Block arrangements: base pattern, island, double block, corner and multiblock, each keeping the 9 metre through site link. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 expansion diagram showing the base pattern on its 5.3 metre structural grid, expansion by adding apartment modules to the terrace rows, and the added stair required once a core serves more than 8 apartments
The pattern grows on a 5.3 metre grid by adding terrace modules. A core may serve a maximum of 8 apartments before another stair is needed. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 parking adaptation sheet comparing the on grade option on a 72.25 by 52.65 metre site of 3,805 square metres with the basement option on a 66.75 by 52.65 metre site of 3,514 square metres, with sections showing the 22 metre and 17.5 metre height lines, the lift overrun and the communal open space at roof or level 4
The two parking options. On grade parking widens the site and lifts the courtyard to level 1; basement parking keeps the courtyard on the ground. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 north to south sloping site sheet showing the maximum 500 millimetre gradient, the reversed slope diagram, finished floor levels stepping from 0 to minus 600, the basement ramp on the low side and two lobby sections at 100 millimetre and 600 millimetre slope
North to south slope: the drawing notes a maximum 500 millimetre gradient, with the plan mirrored so the basement ramp sits on the low side. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 east to west sloping site sheet showing the maximum 2,000 millimetre gradient, the reversed slope diagram, finished floor levels stepping from 0 to minus 2,100, the basement ramp on the low side and two lobby sections at 100 millimetre and 1,800 millimetre slope
East to west slope: the drawing notes a maximum 2,000 millimetre gradient, again with the basement ramp on the low side. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 orientation study showing 13 rotations of the building from due east through due north to due west, each with its solar access percentage between 8am and 4pm and a colour code of optimal, good or limited
The orientation study rates 13 rotations. Due north scores 93 per cent solar access, due east 89 per cent and due west 96 per cent, all marked optimal. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).

Material palettes

There are two character schemes. Scheme 01 is brickwork with painted fibre cement board. Scheme 02 is rendered masonry, in a textured splatter dash finish, with painted fibre cement board. Each comes in three colour ways: terracotta, sage and neutral.

Both schemes share a common palette of clear glass brick to the fire stair, exposed off form concrete, anodised aluminium panels, aluminium balustrades and a galvanised cyclone wire mesh screen to the entry facade. Stacked wet areas and services are expressed as vertical brick bands on the facades. Retractable fabric awnings are an optional character detail. Any substitution still has to hold the intended colour, profile and finish relationships in the technical package.

Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 character style summary comparing scheme 1 brickwork and painted fibre cement board with scheme 2 render and painted fibre cement board, each in terracotta, sage and neutral, across brick, fibre cement board, glass brick, concrete, aluminium panel, balustrade, mesh screen, porcelain tiles, brick pavers and aluminium frames
The two character schemes in all three colour ways, across every external material. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 character scheme 01 brickwork in terracotta, with red water struck brick in stretcher bond, fibre cement sheet painted terracotta, clear glass brick to the fire stair, off form concrete, anodised aluminium panel, terracotta powdercoated balustrade, galvanised mesh screen, terracotta porcelain tile and red clay brick pavers
Scheme 01 brickwork, terracotta: red water struck brick, terracotta fibre cement and terracotta metalwork. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 character scheme 01 brickwork in sage, with pale water struck brick in stretcher bond, fibre cement sheet painted sage, clear glass brick to the fire stair, off form concrete, anodised aluminium panel, sage powdercoated balustrade, galvanised mesh screen, grey porcelain tile and tumbled grey brick pavers
Scheme 01 brickwork, sage: pale water struck brick with sage fibre cement and sage metalwork. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 character scheme 01 brickwork in neutral, with painted brick commons in a light bagged cream finish, fibre cement sheet painted cream, clear glass brick to the fire stair, off form concrete, anodised aluminium panel, light grey powdercoated balustrade, galvanised mesh screen, pale porcelain tile and tumbled brick pavers
Scheme 01 brickwork, neutral: painted brick commons in a light bagged cream finish, with cream fibre cement and light grey metalwork. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 character scheme 02 rendered masonry in terracotta, with a rendered block wall in textured splatter dash finish painted terracotta, fibre cement sheet painted terracotta, clear glass brick, off form concrete, anodised aluminium panel, terracotta balustrade, galvanised mesh screen, terracotta porcelain tile and red clay brick tiles
Scheme 02 rendered masonry, terracotta: splatter dash render with terracotta fibre cement and metalwork. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 character scheme 02 rendered masonry in sage, with a rendered block wall in textured splatter dash finish, fibre cement sheet painted sage, clear glass brick, off form concrete, anodised aluminium panel, sage balustrade, galvanised mesh screen, grey porcelain tile and pale brick pavers
Scheme 02 rendered masonry, sage: splatter dash render with sage fibre cement and metalwork. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 character scheme 02 rendered masonry in neutral, with a rendered block wall in textured splatter dash finish painted cream, fibre cement sheet painted cream, clear glass brick, off form concrete, anodised aluminium panel, light grey balustrade, galvanised mesh screen, grey porcelain tile and grey brick pavers
Scheme 02 rendered masonry, neutral: cream render with cream fibre cement and light grey metalwork. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).
Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 street level render showing the pale brick terrace entries, a recessed common entry with the building number, planted forecourt walls, mesh screens, sage metal balustrades and awnings, and balconies above
Street level view of the terrace entries and the common entry, in a pale brick and sage palette. Design and image by Andrew Burges Architects. © State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).

Things to watch out for

Dudils screens lot size and orientation to identify patterns that could work. It does not complete a planning eligibility assessment. Before buying a site, placing an option on it or purchasing the pattern licence, check current State and local council mapping and get professional advice.

Rule out bush fire prone land, including the lowest BAL rating of 12.5, and excluded flood prone land. Heritage items and conservation areas, landslip risk land, registered easements that affect the proposed building area, coastal hazard land, foreshore land and unsewered land also need to be ruled out. Battle axe lots are expressly excluded from the irregular lot adaptations.

Check the survey contours carefully. The pattern allows 0.5 metres of fall in one direction and 2 metres in the other, which is a flat site by most standards, and Dudils screens slope from the national elevation model, which is indicative and not a survey. Check sewer location, easements and other title restrictions against the proposed footprint as well as the mapped planning layers.

The building runs to at least 67 metres of frontage and needs weekly on site waste collection with a heavy rigid vehicle using the through site link, so vehicle access, turning and the public domain interface matter early. Parking varies from 30 to 120 spaces across the range, and the on grade option needs a wider lot than the basement option for the same building.

Overshadowing is the constraint that most often reduces a scheme. A site north of existing homes can easily overshadow neighbours to the south, and neighbours must keep at least 3 hours of sun to half their private open space between 9am and 3pm on 21 June, evidenced with shadow diagrams. Ask Good Architect to undertake a site feasibility study before buying land, placing an option or purchasing the pattern licence so these constraints and the likely yield can be tested together.

Development standards

These are the numeric controls specific to this pattern. They sit in Chapter 7 of the Housing SEPP and prevail over inconsistent local controls where the pattern applies.

Development standards
Maximum storeys6 habitable storeys, rooftop facilities excluded
Maximum height22 m from existing ground level
Height exclusionsLift overruns, plant and services need a further 2.26 m and sit above the limit
Minimum lot size3,551 m²
Minimum lot width67 m, measured at the front of the building line
Minimum street setback3.5 m to the front and rear streets, relative to the lobby entry
Minimum side setback9 m, including the through site link
Tertiary street or boundary1.5 m
Ceilings2.7 m habitable, 2.4 m non habitable
Deep soil7 per cent under 650 m² of site area, 10 per cent from 650 to 1,500 m², 15 per cent above 1,500 m²
Solar accessAt least 70 per cent of apartments get 2 hours of direct sun to living spaces between 8am and 4pm
OvershadowingNeighbours keep at least 3 hours of sun to half their private open space between 9am and 3pm on 21 June
Waste collectionOn site, weekly, all streams
Site conditionsMid block, end block, half block and whole block

Cost and approval

The design data lists the standard licence as licence from $25,000 per lot. On 6 August 2026 the official shop showed a subsidised price of $2,500 against $25,000, described as subsidised for the first 6 months, and marked the product sold out. Price and availability can change, so check the shop before you plan around either.

The licence package provides the technical drawings in PDF and DWG formats, technical guidance, the editable design verification statement template, the pattern adaptations, the NSW Housing Pattern Book landscape design guide and a unique pattern identification number for your application. Files are delivered electronically within 5 business days.

You then engage a design team to adapt the drawings to your site. The design verification statement must be completed by an architect on the NSW Register of Architects, confirming every fixed and adapted feature is carried into the application.

Reduced assessment removes the slow parts of a normal apartment development application, because the design questions are already answered: no design review panel and no reassessment against the Apartment Design Guide. It does not remove survey, site testing, engineering, traffic, waste, landscape or consultant reports, and every application still has to demonstrate BASIX and NatHERS compliance and meet the ABCB Livable Housing Design Standard.

The pattern drawings are indicative designs for planning approval, not construction drawings. After consent you still need full construction documentation, engineers and practitioners registered under the Design and Building Practitioners Act for this Class 2 building. Start with a Good Architect site feasibility study before committing to the land or the licence.

FAQ

What is the minimum lot size for Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03?

A lot at least 67 metres wide and 3,551 square metres, which the drawings show as a 67 by 53 metre base pattern. Lot width is measured at the front of the building line. The official key metrics run to lots 127.5 metres wide and 6,566 square metres.

How many apartments does it provide?

The published whole building range is 58 to 140 apartments. The drawn base pattern on the smallest lot provides 58 apartments: 12 one bedroom, 24 two bedroom, 18 three bedroom and 4 four bedroom. Larger lots, the 6 storey scheme and the double building condition lift the number, and the parking option changes the ground floor mix.

How tall is the building?

Four to six habitable storeys, with a maximum height of 22 metres from existing ground level. Lift overruns, plant and services need a further 2.26 metres and sit above that limit under their own allowance. The pattern's own drawings show 6 storeys within 400 metres of a station and 5 storeys from 400 to 800 metres.

Can parking be at ground level?

Yes. Basement and on grade options are both drawn. The choice matters more than usual here, because on grade parking moves the communal courtyard up to level 1, replaces the ground floor terrace apartments with studios and needs a wider lot: 72.25 metres against 66.75 metres for the same building.

What is the through site link for?

It is a 9 metre wide pedestrian and service route along one side of the site. It carries the weekly on site waste collection, gives service access and provides a public thoroughfare. It is a fixed feature at every lot size, and on a mid block site it has to be secured through an approved masterplan so access carries through to the adjoining property.

Can it work on a sloping or irregular site?

Only just. The sheets record a maximum 500 millimetre north to south gradient and a maximum 2,000 millimetre east to west gradient, with the plan mirrored so the basement ramp lands on the low side. Irregular lots can be adapted if the minimum setbacks are still met, but battle axe lots are excluded. Dudils screens slope from the national elevation model, which is indicative and not a survey, and it does not screen lot shape, so both need a current survey and site specific design review.

Which orientations does the pattern suit?

The orientation study tests 13 rotations from due east through due north to due west. Due north scores 93 per cent solar access between 8am and 4pm, due east 89 per cent and due west 96 per cent, all rated optimal. Intermediate rotations score between 63 and 79 per cent and are rated good or limited. A due south frontage is not offered.

What site conditions can rule out this pattern?

Bush fire prone land, even at the lowest BAL rating of 12.5, excluded flood prone land, heritage items and conservation areas, landslip risk land, registered easements that conflict with the building, coastal hazard land, foreshore land, unsewered land and battle axe lots can rule it out. So can a fall greater than the pattern allows, or a site where waste and fire vehicle access cannot be resolved.

What does the pattern licence cost?

Licence from $25,000 per lot, set by the NSW Government. On 6 August 2026 the official shop showed a subsidised price of $2,500 against $25,000 and marked the product sold out, so confirm the current price and availability on the shop before you plan around it.

Who designed Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03?

Andrew Burges Architects, a Sydney practice founded in 2001, designed it. The design won the competition for this pattern and Government Architect NSW approved it for inclusion in the NSW Housing Pattern Book in November 2025.

Do I need an architect to use the pattern?

Yes. The design verification statement lodged with the development application must be completed by an architect on the NSW Register of Architects, and you will need a design team to adapt the drawings to your site. Good Architect can first test the lot, planning constraints, likely yield, orientation and shadows through a feasibility study.

Where in NSW can the pattern be used?

In low and mid rise housing areas under section 163 of the Housing SEPP and in transport oriented development areas under Chapter 5, where a residential flat building is permitted with consent. Dudils screens lot size, orientation and slope, the slope from the national elevation model, which is indicative and not a survey. You must separately check flood and bush fire mapping, heritage, landslip risk, registered easements, coastal hazards, foreshore controls, sewer availability and battle axe exclusions with council and qualified advisers.

Does a pattern work on your block?

Sign in to the Dudils lot finder to screen this design and every other NSW Pattern Book design against a real address. Dudils screens lot size and orientation to identify patterns that could work; planning hazards and exclusions still need separate checks.

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Credit and sources

Pattern Book Large Lot Apartments 03 was designed by Andrew Burges Architects for the NSW Housing Pattern Book. Pattern documents are copyright State of New South Wales (Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure).

This page is a summary by Dudils. Figures are drawn from the official pattern documents and planning rules can change, so always confirm against the official NSW Housing Pattern Book before committing to a project.

See if a pattern book plan works on your site